"WELL? GET READY!" The second Aerin stepped through the door, she realized her attempt at privacy had completely failed. All her members were clustered around, clearly eavesdropping. Aerin rolled her eyes in mock frustration. "I'm fine the way I am. It's just something casual."
"If you say so," Xia replied, a teasing tone in her voice. Aerin could feel her irritation bubbling up, but she stopped herself. As much as she wanted to smack her friend upside the head, the love she had for these girls stopped her from acting on it.
But truth be told, Aerin was regretting asking Seungcheol to take her out on a date, especially now that he was coming over in just fifteen minutes. It wasn't that she didn't want to be with him—quite the opposite, actually. But the urgency of the situation and the casualness with which it had all come about left her with too much time to overthink.
And, of course, the fifteen minutes she spent waiting felt like seconds. Before she knew it, there was a knock at the door, and she scrambled to open it.
"Girls, I'm leaving! Please, for the love of God, try to be civil. Call me if you need anything!" She made sure they heard her as she grabbed the bag she had hastily thrown together from the dorm and swung open the door. And there he was, standing before her, a smile spreading across his face.
Before either of them could speak, Seungcheol pulled Aerin into a warm, tight hug. It was so sudden that she froze for a moment, startled by the strength of his embrace. But after a few seconds, she melted into it, feeling the warmth of his body and the comfort of his presence.
"You don't know how worried I was," he murmured into her ear. Aerin's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly pulled away, trying to regain her composure.
"I'm okay," she reassured him, "You don't need to worry. Just... give me a break from all of this, okay?" She gestured vaguely at the chaos that had consumed the past day.
His smile was soft and genuine as he took her hands in his. "Well then, your wish is my command."
The drive was quiet, and Aerin couldn't help but wonder where Seungcheol was taking her. She had no clue, but something about the way he kept his eyes on the road, focused yet content, made her feel at ease. She found herself stealing glances at him—his messy hair, his favorite gray sweatpants paired with a sweatshirt, looking so effortlessly put-together in the most relaxed way. There was something about him that made every ordinary thing extraordinary, and here she was, so close to him that she could almost feel the warmth radiating from his presence.
Seungcheol, for his part, was feeling much the same. He'd spent years perfecting every little detail of his public persona, focusing on maintaining the perfect stage presence. But with Aerin, he felt like he could breathe, like he could just be. She was the only person who saw him as more than just the idol or the leader, the one who didn't expect him to be perfect.
The two of them, sitting inches apart, were more content than either of them could express.
"Hey, where are we going, anyway?" Aerin asked, breaking the silence that had settled between them. She'd been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't realized how late it was.
Seungcheol chuckled, shifting his arm on the center console. "I'm surprised you asked that now—we're already here."
Aerin's eyes widened in surprise as she stepped out of the car. The sight in front of her took her breath away.
"Do you like it?" Seungcheol asked, his voice full of anticipation. "I brought a blanket and some last-minute fried chicken."
Aerin's jaw dropped, her heart swelling with emotion. "Are you kidding me? This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."
Her face softened, overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness behind the simple gesture. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him, and Seungcheol held her just as tightly.
"Thank you," Aerin whispered, her voice thick with sincerity. Even though the words were simple, they carried so much weight. Seungcheol held onto her even tighter as they made their way to the picnic blanket, the night air warm against their skin.
Aerin had always loved the stars, though she never had the time to admire them. There was always something else to do, something more pressing than looking up at the sky. But tonight, with Seungcheol by her side, there were no worries, no obligations. Just the two of them, sitting on the grass, feeling the gentle breeze ruffle their hair.
For a long time, neither of them spoke. It wasn't awkward; there was a peace between them, a quiet understanding. They were content in the silence, simply enjoying each other's company.
Finally, Aerin broke it. "Hey... what's going on with us, like, right now?"
Seungcheol froze, his thoughts racing. He hadn't expected her to ask, but there was something in the air, something that felt... real. He hesitated, unsure how to articulate the swirling emotions inside him.
"I don't know," he said after a pause, his voice soft. "It's just... it's more stressful than I thought it would be."
Aerin's brows furrowed slightly. "What do you mean?"
Seungcheol took a deep breath, then looked at her with a serious expression. "Will you... will you be my girlfriend?"
The words slipped out before he could stop them, and as soon as they did, he was hit with a wave of panic. He had no idea what came over him. He had never been this nervous in his life. His face turned red as he quickly added, "I didn't mean to say that so suddenly, but... I really do mean it."
Aerin blinked, stunned. "Wow."
Seungcheol's heart sank. Was she going to reject him? Before he could spiral into his usual overthinking, she cut him off.
"It's okay if you don't want to date or anything," he stammered. "We can always just—"
"CHEOL, shut up!" Aerin laughed, shaking her head. "Yes, yes, I'll be your girlfriend."
His eyes widened. "Wait, seriously?"
Aerin couldn't help but grin at the stunned expression on his face. "Yes, seriously. I've spent so much of my life trying to maintain this perfect image, even offstage. But with you... with you, I can just live. I don't have to be perfect."
Seungcheol sat up, disbelief written all over his face. "I can't believe this is happening."
Aerin's smile widened, and Seungcheol's heart swelled. In that moment, they both knew this was just the beginning. Despite the inevitable questions and explanations they'd have to face later, they had each other. And that was enough.
As they lay under the stars, hands intertwined, the two idols realized something: they were no longer living just for the stage. Together, they were learning how to live for themselves.
